


The Last Jedi: Rewrite - Frontiers

by lacropolish



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:42:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21997702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lacropolish/pseuds/lacropolish
Summary: Rey finds Luke Skywalker on a remote island on a remote planet in a hidden part of the galaxy. She is not sure what to expect, but it's at least better than what Rian Johnson imagined.
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - A New Hope

Rey was so uncertain of what to expect. The anxiety inside her built until it was all she could do to stop from shaking. In her hand, Luke’s lightsaber took on new weight that was previously unrealized. He just stood there; this foreign, unknowable fortress of knowledge whom, for so long, Rey believed to be a myth. Surely, no living man could really have lived through the things Luke Skywalker was said to have lived through; the man who almost single-handedly overthrew the Empire; killed the Emperor himself despite overwhelming odds. Of course, Rey knew that the stories were exaggerated. No good story can survive without some embellishment. However, it wasn’t until Rey met Han Solo and Leia Organa that she realized that heroes really do exist. Not only do they exist, but they expected her - her, a nobody from a nowhere planet who had neither family nor friends - to train under Luke Skywalker, himself, and become a Jedi.  
She was still coming to grips with the idea that “the Force” was a thing. There was no denying that there was a natural draw to it. It had been present - a part of her - her whole life, but she was never quite able to identify what it was that was calling to her. By merely recognizing what it was and embracing it, she found herself doing things she never dreamed of being able to do. Her excitement, anticipation, and certainly anxiety for what Luke would have to teach her was palpable. Attempting to read his eyes, his body, was impossible. There was so much depth to what was going on in his mind that she couldn’t even begin to imagine with any certainty what it was. Either way, the silence was beginning to become an unbearable.

“Do you know what that is? What you’re holding?” Luke finally asked.

His voice wasn’t anything she was expecting; though, if she were being honest with herself, she had no real understanding what she was expecting. While she wanted to explore her thoughts and figure out what his voice should have sounded like, she became suddenly aware that he had asked a question and was expecting an answer.

“Your lightsaber,” she blurted out.

She drew back her outstretched arm slightly to look at the mystical object in her hand, as if it had changed between the time she offered it to him and when he asked the question. It was then that she realized that her tone, which was ill-prepared, could have sounded pompous and presumptuous; an image she did not want to portray to possibly the most important person in the galaxy and the Resistance’s only hope against the First Order.

“I wielded it for a time, this is true,” began Luke as he slowly walked toward Rey, eyes focused on the lightsaber. “But I did not forge it.”

Gently, Luke came to a halt at a respectable distance from Rey and outstretched his hands to accept the gift Rey travelled halfway across the galaxy to deliver to him. More interested in his reaction than the tool itself, Rey observed as Luke carefully inspected every aspect and detail of the weapon. She could almost sense the history that was being recalled with every millisecond that it took Luke to properly appreciate what he was holding. With more enthusiasm than she would have expected, she longed to know and understand that history.

“This was my father’s lightsaber,” said Luke. “Anakin Skywalker. Son of Shmi Skywalker, a slave on the planet Tatooine. Despite his humble beginnings he became a powerful Jedi Knight. He was even a general in the Clone Wars. Arguably the most talented pilot in Republic forces.”

Luke chuckled to himself before igniting the weapon. He gave the saber a few twirls that came closer to Rey than she was comfortable with. Allowing herself to crack a smile, she remembered that this was a Jedi Master - an old Jedi Master - she was with; someone intimately familiar with a lightsaber. He had probably spent more time with a saber than she had her staff and she felt like her staff was a part of her.

“How did you come by this?” he asked.

“Maz,” answered Rey.

“Maz Kanata?” asked Luke, more impressed than surprised.

Rey nodded timidly, worried he would ask for more information that she didn’t have. When he didn’t, she let out a sigh of relief. Again, he chuckled to himself before turning off the lightsaber and flipping and it in the air.

“So you know Maz…” mused Luke, who began pacing around Rey, examining her. “She trusted you with my father’s old lightsaber. And now you’re here, which means you got the star map from my R2D2 unit. This meeting is most assuredly not an accident.”

His musings felt more like an inspection. Certain that he could guess why she was here, Rey stood a little taller and tried to exude confidence; the confidence of someone worthy of apprenticeship.

“Of course, you could have stolen the lightsaber from Maz and forcibly taken the information from my droid…” considered Luke.

“If I was here to hurt you, why would I hand you the lightsaber?” asked Rey.

“Well,” chuckled Luke, “maybe you wanted a fair fight. Alright, mystery girl, who are you and why have you come?”

“My name’s Rey. I’m from the Resistance. Your sister Leia sent me. We need your help,” said Rey.

“That’s all fine and well, Rey from the Resistance,” started Luke as he slowly let himself sit into a crossed-leg position, “but who are you? Why, of all the people the Resistance could have sent did they send you? What’s special about you? Where are you from?”

“Nowhere,” admitted Rey.

“No ones from nowhere,” corrected Luke.

“Jakku,” she interrupted.

“Alright, that is pretty much nowhere,” said Luke, nodding. “Why are you here, Rey from nowhere?”

“The Resistance sent me,” repeated Rey, not sure what he wanted. “We need your help. The First Order’s become unstoppable…”

“Why are you here?” asked Luke again, patiently but persistently.

This time Rey took a moment. She was too embarrassed to come out and say that she wanted to be trained as a Jedi. It should have been self-explanatory. Maybe, she thought, he just wants to hear me say it?

“Something inside me has always been there… But now it’s awake. And I’m afraid. I don’t know what it is or what to do with it… and I need help.”

“You need a teacher,” thought Luke, seemingly to himself.

The similarity between Luke’s words and Kylo Ren’s words back on the planet that was gutted to house the horrible Starkiller Base struck her like a punch to the gut. There was no question in her mind that she needed a teacher. She knew Luke was the right choice. Around him there was an air of peace, confidence, and understanding. It reminded her of the air around Han Solo, during the brief time that she knew him. Obviously, Luke and Han could not be more different from each other. Between the two, Rey imagined she would have gotten along better with Han, but she could see why the two of them would have been fast friends. That was, of course, before Kylo murdered him. The closest thing to a father that Rey had ever experienced was ripped from her life before their relationship even really began. Rey hated Kylo for that.  
Still, despite it all, there was a part of her that wanted to know what Kylo Ren would teach her, if she had taken him up on his offer. Rey shook her head, but tried to conceal her inner turmoil from Luke. She couldn’t allow herself to think such thoughts. How could she? Kylo Ren was a monster who murdered his own father. What could she possibly want to learn from him?

“So,” started Rey, suddenly aware of the silence, “will you come back and help us?”

“Yes,” state Luke plainly, after some thought. “After I have finished my mission, here.”

“Your mission..?” asked Rey, blinking in confusion. “What- mission?”

“Why do you think I came here in the first place?” asked Luke, amused.

“I don’t know,” admitted Rey. “A part of me was worried that you didn’t want to be found; that you came to the most unfindable place in the galaxy because you had lost faith.”

“I came here to hide?” asked Luke, genuinely surprised.

“I said I didn’t know,” demanded Rey, now getting a little defensive.

“This place is an ancient Jedi sanctuary. If I had lost faith in the Force or the Jedi why would I hide here, of all places? It’s not like this is the only unfindable planet in the galaxy.”

“Right. Of course. It was just a stupid thought,” said Rey, shaking her head and mentally beating herself up for even suggesting it.

With a sigh of pity, Luke stood up and slowly approached Rey. At first, her reaction was to ready herself for a fight. Sensing her unfound mistrust, Luke extended his hands to indicate he meant no harm. Realizing what was happening, Rey purposefully let her guard down and again chastised herself for her reaction. Why was she so pent up? Why was she so nervous?

“I came here to find answers,” said Luke, before gently clasping his hands on her arms. “I get the feeling,” he smiled, “that you came here for the same reason.”


	2. Chapter 2

For the rest of the day, Rey followed Luke around the island on Ahch-To as he finished his day-to-day routine. He had an impressive contraption set up to capture fish. Aside from the ingenuity that the trap would have required to set up, it also allowed Rey to observe how spry her new Master still was in spite of his age. Then she followed him as he milked a large sea creature which produced a disturbing blue milk. He seemed to have no hesitation or qualms about consuming this beverage.

“Want some?” asked Luke, noticing Rey’s disgusted look.

“No, thank you,” said Rey, attempting to disguise herself.

“What do they drink on Jakku?” asked Luke, taking another sip.

“Water, mostly,” mused Rey.

“Yeah? On a desert planet like Jakku, water was the most available potable beverage?”

“Well, there’s not much by way of livestock…” thought Rey out loud, now wondering.

“It’s always fascinated me,” began Luke, saving Rey from more discomfort, “how wherever you go in the galaxy there are beings making the most of what’s given to them.”

Luke handed Rey the bottle of fresh blue milk. As it came closer to her, Rey’s stomach felt as if it altered itself to make the color of the beverage. Attempting some self-control, she pushed out all negative thoughts about the drink and quickly took a swig before her stomach could talk her out of it. The initial sensation was startling, but not unpleasant. After smacking her lips, she began to dwell on her reaction to it. First, it was much warmer than she was expecting. Maybe it was the crisp air or the fact that the milk came from a creature that lives in the surely freezing oceans that surrounded the island. More likely, it was probably because she had never really had much exposure to the wide variety of beverages that existed in the galaxy. Second, it was much sweeter than she had imagined. Stale water and not enough sips of the drinks at Maz’s cantina pretty much summed up her experience with drinking. This was the sweetest liquid she had had the pleasure of consuming.

“Not as bad as it looks, right?” asked Luke, confident.

Reaching out his hand to retrieve the bottle, Rey frowned. At first, she recoiled slightly, not wanting to return the drink. Then, she decided to drink the rest of it, instead. Happily, she returned the bottle empty.

“How much can you get out of her?” asked Rey, excited.

“Easy now,” warned Luke. “Don’t bite the hand that feeds.”

Still, he returned to the creature and continued to retrieve milk. As he did so, Rey took a moment to take in her surroundings. She sighed with satisfaction as she looked out over the horizon. There was so much water - it went as far as her eye could see! How was it that a planet such as this could exist while planets like Jakku thirsted for any moisture of any kind? Why was there not balance? Could this planet not share any of its wealth with Jakku? She lost herself, imagining swimming in a beautiful lake or playing in the waves of a sandy beach.

“Here,” said Luke, handing her a new, full bottle of the delicious blue milk.

Rey’s face lit up seeing how full the bottle was, though she lamented that she probably would not have enough room in her stomach to fit it all. While there was room to spare, she chugged as much of it as she could.

“Mmm,” moaned Rey. “I can see why you stayed hidden here for so long. This stuff is...”

She took another swig as Luke chuckled.

“So, tell me about your childhood,” said Luke as he began walking to his next chore.

“Um,” began Rey, scratching the back of her neck. “There’s not much to tell, really. I don’t really remember my parents.”

The words Rey was searching for didn’t come naturally to her lips. She tried, desperately, to remember everything she could about her childhood. Most of it was unpleasant and not something she wanted to talk about. Luke didn’t seem content with her answer, though, and waited patiently for her to continue.

“My earliest memory is being left on Jakku,” Rey admitted, hesitantly. This stopped Luke in his tracks and he turned to give her his undivided attention. “I remember the ship my parents flew away on. They had left me to work for a junk boss named Unkar Plutt. I’ve been a scavenger for most of my life. I always had this feeling that they would come back for me; like there was something keeping them from me and as soon as they took care of it they would be back, but…”

She didn’t have the strength to finish her sentence and say the words: _it never happened. They never came back._ Fortunately, she didn’t have to. Luke now seemed content with the information she provided, but there was a glimmer in his eye that suggested he knew more than he was letting on. Whether it had something to do with her, specifically, or it was just things in general she couldn’t tell.

“I’m sorry - about your parents - Rey,” he said confidently but compassionately. “I never knew my mother or father, either. Wanting to know more about them was something that consumed much of my childhood, even though I was raised by family. My uncle and aunt who raised me did the best they could, under the circumstances, and treated me as if I was their own son. It was because of them that I knew what it meant to be loved. But, oddly enough, they didn’t know much about my parents. My uncle was only a half-brother to my father and knew less about him than he admitted, but he also knew more than he ever told me.”

With that, Luke sighed, nodded, and looked out at the horizon, himself. There was a familiarity that Rey felt with Luke, though she couldn’t identify it. As instant her connection was with Han Solo, there was the potential for a _deeper_ connection with the Jedi Master; shared experiences or an understanding that she couldn’t find anywhere else.

“You’d like it to be something that doesn’t hold you back, but…” said Luke, looking as if lost in a dream, “it’s something the child in you can’t just let go. We all long to know where we came from and to experience the unconditional love that you’re supposed to get from a parent.”

A little shocked, Rey was concerned for a moment that he was using a Jedi mind trick to read her thoughts; not unlike what Kylo Ren had attempted on Starkiller Base but less intrusive. However, as she examined the eyes of the wise old sage, she realized that he was speaking about himself; his own experiences and longings. In that moment, it struck her that the legendary, almost mythical Luke Skywalker was as human as she was.

After a long moment of silent reflection, Luke released a heavy sigh and nodded his head, this time suggesting that he had come to some kind of resolution. Finally, he turned his attention back to Rey and forced a smile.

“Rey, there’s something I need to do right now and I’d like to do it alone,” he said. “Why don’t you return to the village for now. I’ll meet you there after nightfall. We’ll have our first lesson.”

"Oh!” exclaimed Rey, caught off guard. “Yes! Yes, of course. I’ll, uh-”

She turned to leave, but forgot which way the village was that he was referring to. She turned back toward Luke, mistrusting her instincts and believing she was going the exact wrong direction, but then realized that her instincts were actually correct and she was going the right way all along.

“I’ll see you tonight!” she cheered awkwardly before almost running away.

When she had arrived at Ahch-To, she came with _so many_ questions. Unrealistically, she realized, she expected all of her questions to be answered as soon as she and Luke Skywalker made eye contact. However, after only half a day spent on the planet, she had a host of new questions that she wanted answers for to pile on top of the questions she had buried because there was such little hope of finding answers. Now, adrenaline rushed into her as she briskly walked back to the little town with the funny little maid-aliens. _Who were Luke Skywalker’s parents? How did Luke learn to become a Jedi? Was it an accident? If it wasn’t an accident, why was Luke the only Jedi left? Was Luke the only Jedi left?? If Luke wasn’t the only Jedi left, why did the Alliance make such a fuss out of finding him, specifically? Did Luke and Leia have the same parents? Why was Luke raised by his aunt and uncle and not Leia? Did Leia know her parents? If they were separated, how did they find each other?_

Having arrived at the village, Rey snapped out of her thoughts and realized there was some work for her to keep busy with before Luke came back. She would need to pick a hut to sleep in and make it her own. She would need to get a fire started so she could cook that fish Luke had caught. Perhaps the little maid-aliens could help her with all of that, but she wanted to be able to keep her body moving as much as possible, otherwise she felt like she would go stir-crazy. As she busied herself, she allowed her mind to continue to wander.

 _There’s so much history I’m unaware of,_ she thought. _I haven’t even begun to think about Jedi business. Were Jedi always so reclusive? Is that why people talked of them like they weren’t real; because most people have never actually seen a Jedi. If so, why are Jedi so reclusive? Perhaps knowing how to use the Force makes someone an easy target, like a celebrity or a famous politician, so it's easier to work in secret than in public. Maybe being able to use the Force is so rare that only a handful of people alive throughout the entire galaxy can do it at the same time. If that were the case, Rey was quite lucky to be one of them. And why was she, of all people, one of them?? Was it merely a freak accident? Or is it something common but people merely don’t recognize it about themselves? Only the most self-aware individuals realize their potential? No, it couldn’t be that. The likelihood of Rey merely being more self-aware than thousands if not millions of other beings had to be extremely small. So why was it she who was here to train under Luke Skywalker, as opposed to those millions of others? Was it destiny? Was it random natural selection?_

For a moment, Rey allowed herself to lament the idea that Luke Skywalker might _not_ be able to answer all of her questions. In another moment of self-control, she attempted to repress her excitement for their meeting that night so as to not expose herself to disappointment again. Still, that glimmer of hope remained and would not be denied. She might finally start getting answers instead of the never-ending stream of being left outside the loop that she had experienced her whole life.


	3. Chapter 3

A smile crept up on Rey’s face as she watched the sun set over the ocean; a sense of peace and contentment. Somewhere, in another time, Rey could picture another standing in that very place, looking out on that very ocean, admiring that very sunset. But slowly, like a curious insect crawling up her leg, she felt a chill. For the life of her, she couldn’t place where it was coming from or why, but it was there still the same. It climbed up her leg, through her stomach, until it rested in her chest.  _ Turn around _ it told her. She did so, and was horrified to see the face of Kylo Ren staring back at her. She knew he couldn’t really be there in person. How could he have found her?! But yet, there he was. Surprisingly, he seemed just as surprised to see her as she did to see him. Why would he be surprised?? He tracked her here, somehow, and now he had the audacity to be surprised about it?

Anger boiled up inside her, its heat replacing the chill. She reached for her blaster, pointed, and fired without a second thought. Whether it was in self-defense, because if she didn’t kill him he certainly would kill her, or out of revenge for what he did to Han Solo, she couldn’t tell. But just as the blaster bolt would have made impact, he was gone. She blinked, trying to come to grips with what just happened. Where Kylo Ren should have been, a hole in one of the huts took its place. Where did he go?? She ran into the hut, to see if he somehow had managed to escape, but there was nothing but a pile of rubble on the inside. With the adrenaline of survival wearing off, she realized that she had forgotten to breathe. Again, she turned to leave the hut but there was Kylo, staring her in the eyes.

“You will bring Luke Skywalker to me,” Kylo commanded with an outstretched hand.

The rage boiled up inside again. Rey felt all of her muscles tighten and her fists clench. Slowly, Kylo retracted his hand, as if succeeding a stalemate. She couldn’t know it for sure, but it almost looked like he regretted his reaction.

“You’re not doing this. The effort would kill you,” he observed, before looking around himself. “Can you see my surroundings?”

“You’re going to pay for what you did!” Rey blurted out.

“I can’t see yours,” he continued, undeterred. “Just you. So, no. This is something else.”

A noise, not far off, jostled her. Her head shot around and she saw Luke approaching. Her heart rate shot up, partially because she felt like she had been caught in a difficult situation to explain, if he could see what she was doing, and partially out of a need to protect Luke from Kylo Ren and the First Order. She looked back at Kylo and noticed his eyes looking in the direction where Luke was.

“Luke,” he said, but it almost sounded like a question.

“Rey? Are you OK?” asked Luke, though she almost didn’t hear it.

With the question, Kylo Ren was gone. Luke poked his head around the door and peered in where Rey was. She noticed the hole she made in the hut, again, and just then noticed the little maid-aliens cleaning it up and being none-too-pleased with her.

“I was cleaning my blaster. It went off,” she lied.

Unsuspicious, Luke nodded, and seemed relieved that nothing was wrong. He becked her to the fire outside.

“Let’s get started,” he invited.

Leaving before she did, Rey had a few precious milliseconds of privacy. She took the opportunity to look back at where Kylo Ren had stood before her just moments before and wonder. Should she be afraid of what just happened? Was it a fluke that would never happen again, so she needn’t worry about it? Should she tell Luke? Hesitantly, now, she stepped outside and joined Luke who was cooking a fish over the fire.

“Thanks for getting this fire started,” said Luke as she sat.

“Yes, of course,” muttered Rey, still distracted.

“Before you ask, I was meditating,” he said.

“You what?” asked Rey, now rejoining the conversation.

“I have a favorite spot up in the mountains,” he continued, looking into the fire. “I’ve trained a number of Jedi, and… all of them are dead.”

He looked at Rey, as if he expected something from her. She didn’t know how to respond. She could think of at least one person Luke had trained that was still alive - Kylo Ren.

“They were all murdered, from a certain point of view. Either physically or spiritually, they’re all dead. And it’s- my fault.”

“What?? How?” asked Rey before realising he probably would have told her without her asking.

“I failed them… as a teacher, as a protector. I came here searching for answers on what went wrong. I wanted to specifically identify my failures and either learn to work around them so that I can fulfill my mandate despite them or, hopefully, conquer them. My quest to become a better teacher has taken more time and effort that even I could have imagined.”

Luke sighed, and allowed his body language to shed light into how difficult this subject was for him to talk about. Rey could sense the weight he felt on his shoulders.

“I don’t want to fail you, Rey.”

“You won’t,” she assured him, shaking her head.

“I’d like that to be true,” nodded Luke. “But I need to make something clear to you before we begin.”

“Alright,” said Rey, turning herself to show undivided attention.

“I will teach you  _ how _ to be a Jedi and I will teach you the ways of the Force… but I will not  _ make _ you a Jedi.”

“I don’t understand,” admitted Rey, after a short moment.

“When I became a Jedi; when the mantle was figuratively placed upon me, I became the Last Jedi. I had been taught by both Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda while they yet lived, but they told me it wouldn’t be until after I had faced Darth Vader that I would truly become a Jedi. When that moment came, both of them had already passed into the next life. They taught me  _ how _ to become a Jedi and showed me the path, but it was  _ my choice _ to follow that path. Your decision to either accept or reject what is taught will have no bearing on my decision to teach you. I cannot make you a Jedi. Only you can do that by your actions and your desires.”

Though she didn’t feel like she even began to comprehend what he was talking about, she nodded acceptance and feigned understanding.  _ Surely _ , she thought to herself,  _ that will all make more sense as we get into the training _ .

“Our first lesson,” he began, “will be about the Jedi Code. In the past, I made those who learned under me memorize this code for the purpose of instilling it in their hearts. For you, while I will invite you to also memorize the code, it will be for no other purpose than to be intimately familiar with it.”

Again, Rey nodded, faking her comprehension.

“It is as follows: 

_ There is no emotion, there is peace. _

_ There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. _

_ There is no passion, there is serenity. _

_ There is no chaos, there is harmony. _

_ There is no death, there is the Force. _ ”

“Master Skywalker…” began Rey, shyly.

“Please, Rey,” he interrupted, “just call me Luke. I’m a guide, not a master.”

“Luke…” corrected Rey, even more shyly, “what exactly  _ is _ the Force?”

“Tell me,” he started, “what do you think the Force is?”

“I don’t know,” began Rey.

“Yes, I know you don’t know. I want to know what you think; or what your best guess is.”

"It’s…” started Rey, thinking, “a power that Jedi have that lets them control people and make things float.”

“Impressive,” nodded Luke. “Every word in that sentence was wrong.”

Though Luke cracked a smile indicating his joke was not malicious, Rey still felt blood rush to her face.

“The Force is not a power you have. It’s not about lifting rocks. It’s the energy between all things - a tension, a balance - that binds the universe together. Obi-Wan described it as an energy field created by all living things. It was the quest of the Jedi for eons to become familiar with the Force and to do its will.”

This time, as Rey nodded and pretended to understand, she actually began to comprehend a little. She had felt something, something she couldn’t identify, and had interacted with it. By experimenting with it and interacting with it, she had been able to do and accomplish things she couldn’t explain. Even though she couldn’t explain it, she began to feel an understanding that it was the Force and, better yet, she could become more familiar with it.

“I want you to spend the rest of tonight pondering the code of the Jedi. Write it down, if you have to. Know it like the back of your hand. Tomorrow, after breakfast, we’ll talk about what you think it means. I will then tell you how the Jedi traditionally translate it. Then we can discuss how you feel about it.”

“How I feel about it?” asked Rey.

“Yes. Like I said, I will act as a guide; not a master. You must decide for yourself, Rey, what path you will follow. Or, perhaps, I should say that it is your responsibility to follow the path the Force has in store for you.”

After one more bite of fish, Luke cleaned himself up as well as he could and began to walk toward his hut. However, he stopped after only taking a few steps and turned to face her again.

“Did you need something to write with?” he asked.


End file.
